The initial couple of episodes of Dev Burman, the detective show on Colors, have galloped past and the channel’s attempt to dabble with thriller genre (post 24) finds robust feet, we must admit.
It’s elegiac (with the baby girl crying when kidnapped) and engaging, thanks to some crisp editing, scripting and storytelling.
The opening scene where Dev dangles in the air dangerously to nab a murder culprit seems exaggerated but does the necessary to gain attention.
Indian television content in today’s digital age is experimenting to find relevance. The dominance of the medium will certainly find a competitive parallel in the next few years, thus it has to evolve and introduce its core audience to newer concepts, to ensure retainership and relatibility.
Dev, with its storytelling in visual and approach, is cutting edge. It’s a welcome breather from melodramatic, emotional churners on daily soaps, which are definite winners currently, but given the rapid digitization and exposure to varied content (national and international), preferences will take a tectonic shift for certainty.
Dev is a classy urbane show, so will it manage to rake in numbers? If it does, it will be a laudable moment in the realm of Indian television.
There are certain déjàvu Sherlockish moments which portray the intelligent, no nonsense, idiosyncrasies of Dev, the detective.
The plot, though fresh in presentation, fails to bring novelty in terms of the case being handled. Kid’s kidnapping, a suspicious servant, inner hand in malice and Dev’s cold vibes with the otherwise not so efficient cops find relatable resonance in the mind.
However, the progression is weaved with threads of intrigue. The story moves at a pace which justifies the thrill and shooting in real locations makes viewing intense.
The pivot of the show is Ashish Chowdhry, and he is the apt casting for the role. He is a narcissist, super intelligent person who shies away from emotions, but has a strong past (which is not a happy one) which lends a humane touch to his otherwise cold demeanour. He connects with the grieving mother who pines for her daughter, and imbibes strength and hope in her.
Ashish is Dev, Dev is Ashish. The two sync like Siamese twins. Dev’s subdued exuberance matched with ambitious undercurrent is portrayed befittingly by Ashish. Other characters show desired maturity and experience to add necessary cadence. Amit Dolawat as the cop can be used better rather than being a futile foil to Dev. Hope in the upcoming episodes, the cat & mouse game between Dev and him finds an interesting connect.
Production, direction and technicalities are superlative and Dev is of the finest good looking shows in recent times. End of the day, any content’s aim is to entertain the end audience, who is spending time to watch it, and Dev does hold attention.
IndianWikiMedia would definitely ask its readers to watch Dev and would rate it 3.5 out of 5 stars.
